{"query_echo":{"q":"","filters":{"analysis_type":["desk study"]},"warnings":[{"code":"facet_value_not_in_vocabulary","message":"Value 'desk study' for facet 'analysis_type' is not in the controlled vocabulary."}]},"total":{"value":6,"relation":"eq"},"page":1,"page_size":20,"self":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/api/v1/search?analysis_type=desk+study","stability":"beta","ai_marking":{"digital_source_type":{"uri":"http://cv.iptc.org/newscodes/digitalsourcetype/trainedAlgorithmicMedia","name":"Created using Generative AI"},"notice":"Summary and key insights are generated using artificial intelligence."},"results":[{"id":"wwf-000493","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/wwf-000493","title":"State of the Practice: Sustainability Standards for Infrastructure Investors","publisher":{"name":"WWF International","organization":"wwf-international"},"document_type":"report","language":"en","date_published":"2018-10","source_url":"https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/214/4eb8936od7_SGPC_Sustainable_Infra_State_of_the_Practice_Full_Report_vF.pdf","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The report analyzes twelve sustainability standards for infrastructure, categorizing them into project screening tools (e.g., SuRe, Envision, CEEQUAL, ISCA, IFC Performance Standards) and accounting tools (e.g., SASB, TCFD, GHG Protocol, UN PRI). It evaluates these tools based on comprehensiveness, objectivity, clarity, transaction costs, and traction. The study finds that the industry lacks a single global standard, with investors often using multiple tools depending on the project's local context and regulatory regime. It highlights a fundamental tension between 'preservationist' public sector assessments, which determine if a project should be built, and 'conservationist' investor metrics, which focus on implementing projects in the most sustainable way possible.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"wwf-000493#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"The report distinguishes between 'preservationist' standards used by governments to decide if a project should move forward and 'conservationist' standards used by investors to ensure a project is developed in the most sustainable way possible.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"wwf-000493#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Institutional investors are increasingly adopting ESG factors into decision-making; a Callan Institute survey of 89 US investors found that over 40% incorporated ESG factors in 2018, compared to 22% in 2013.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"wwf-000493#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The Standard for Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure (SuRe) is designed for developing economies and uses a materiality assessment to determine if criteria are high, medium, low, or not material for a specific project.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"wwf-000493#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Envision is a comprehensive system primarily used in the US and Canada that awards points across five categories: Quality of Life, Leadership, Resource Allocation, Natural World, and Climate and Risk.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"wwf-000493#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"CEEQUAL is one of the oldest screening tools, with strong traction in the UK and Ireland, focusing on a three-pillar model of Environmental Quality, Social Success, and Economic Success.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"wwf-000493#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The IFC Performance Standards and Equator Principles serve as a global benchmark for managing environmental and social risks in project financing and are widely adopted by financial institutions.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"wwf-000493#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"GRESB Infrastructure provides both project and portfolio-level assessments, allowing investors to benchmark the environmental performance of their assets against sector averages.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"wwf-000493#insight-7","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA) rating program is highly rigorous and mandated by many Australian public sector agencies for projects exceeding $50 million.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"wwf-000493#insight-8","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) focuses on voluntary, consistent climate-related financial risk disclosures, specifically emphasizing risks and opportunities related to the transition to a lower-carbon economy.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"wwf-000493#insight-9","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The GHG Protocol provides internationally accepted accounting and reporting standards for six greenhouse gases, including CO2, methane, and nitrous oxide.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"wwf-000493#insight-10","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The UN Principles for Responsible Investment (UN PRI) is a voluntary set of six principles that encourage investors to incorporate ESG issues into analysis and decision-making.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"wwf-000493#insight-11","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"A central challenge in infrastructure sustainability is 'materiality'—the need to tailor assessments to the unique location, project type, and regulatory regime of an asset, which complicates the ability to aggregate data at a portfolio level.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"wwf-000493#insight-12","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"There is no single global consensus or uniform tool for infrastructure sustainability; instead, proactive investors use a combination of systems based on their specific needs and the local context of the project.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"wwf-000493#insight-13","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":["environmental, social and corporate governance","green infrastructure","climate finance","GHG Protocol","biodiversity","carbon dioxide emissions","water management","Sustainable Development Goals","infrastructure investment"],"geography_discussed":["United States","United Kingdom","Ireland","Australia","New Zealand","Switzerland","Canada"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["comparative assessment","literature review","desk study"]},{"id":"sei-002530","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/sei-002530","title":"Renewable energy mini-grids: An alternative approach to energy access in southern Africa","publisher":{"name":"Stockholm Environment Institute","organization":"stockholm-environment-institute"},"document_type":"briefing","language":"en","date_published":"2016","source_url":"https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-DB-2016-SADC-mini-grids.pdf","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The document argues that while the SADC region faces severe energy pressures and a heavy reliance on coal and hydropower, renewable energy mini-grids offer a viable complement to national grid extension, particularly for rural populations. However, most current projects remain in the pilot phase due to unsustainable business models, vague policy frameworks, and a lack of private investment. The brief recommends adopting anchor-business-community (A-B-C) models and establishing clear regulatory frameworks to scale these solutions.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002530#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"The SADC region experiences significant energy deficits, with power production failing to meet demand. In 2015, the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) had an available capacity of 52,589 MW, leaving a shortfall of 8,247 MW when accounting for reserve requirements.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002530#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Electricity access in SADC member states is characterized by extreme disparities. As of 2012, only 42% of the region's 298 million people had access to electricity, with rates ranging from 100% in Mauritius to 12% in Malawi.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002530#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The region's energy mix is heavily dependent on coal and hydropower, creating vulnerabilities to climate change and price volatility. Coal accounted for 62% of SAPP's installed capacity by 2015, while hydropower stood at 21%.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002530#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Renewable energy mini-grids are viewed as a critical complement to grid extension, especially since the IEA estimates that nearly 60% of the additional generation needed for universal electricity access in Africa must come from off-grid solutions.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002530#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Despite their potential, mini-grids in the SADC region are mostly in the pilot phase and contribute minimally to the total energy mix, with the exception of Seychelles. Scaling is hindered by low rural incomes, unattractive tariffs for the private sector, and a lack of affordable long-term finance.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002530#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The 'anchor-business-community' (A-B-C) approach is identified as the most successful business model, where a large 'anchor' consumer provides steady revenue, allowing surplus power to be distributed to smaller businesses and households.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002530#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Policy implementation in SADC countries is often biased toward large-scale grid extension, leaving decentralized solutions underfunded and viewed as temporary 'pre-electrification' measures.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002530#insight-7","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":["renewable energy","Mini-grids","energy access","rural electrification","coal","hydropower","photovoltaics","wind energy","biomass","climate change","greenhouse gas emissions","energy policy","climate finance","energy transition"],"geography_discussed":["South Africa","Democratic Republic of the Congo","Malawi","Seychelles","Mauritius","Angola","Zambia","Zimbabwe","Botswana","Namibia","Tanzania","Mozambique","Madagascar","Lesotho","Eswatini"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["policy analysis","desk study"]},{"id":"sei-001679","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/sei-001679","title":"Improved cookstoves in Central America: health impacts and uptake","publisher":{"name":"Stockholm Environment Institute","organization":"stockholm-environment-institute"},"document_type":"briefing","language":"en","date_published":"2015","source_url":"https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-DB-2015-cookstoves-central-america.pdf","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The document examines the use of improved cookstoves in Central America, noting that while many models meet WHO emission targets in labs, they often fail to significantly reduce personal pollutant exposure in the field due to 'stove stacking' and improper use. It identifies the 'plancha' as the most common model and highlights that successful adoption depends on user-centered design, training, and cost-sharing. The report calls for standardized performance measures and national certification bodies to ensure health benefits are actually realized.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-001679#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"Household air pollution causes 37,000 premature deaths annually in Central America, primarily affecting women and children. In 2010, lower respiratory infections were the leading cause of premature mortality and disability in Guatemala.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-001679#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"An analysis of 34 stove models showed that they reduce carbon monoxide (CO) emissions by an average of 59% and particulate matter (PM) by 95% relative to open fires, suggesting they meet WHO guidelines for household fuel combustion.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-001679#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"There is a significant gap between laboratory emission reductions and actual reductions in personal exposure. For example, the RESPIRE study in Guatemala found a 90% reduction in indoor CO concentrations but only a 50% reduction in personal exposure due to factors like stove-tending practices and 'stove stacking'.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-001679#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The 'plancha' cookstove with a chimney is the most widely adopted model in the region. High costs for low-income households are partly driven by the need for a griddle (plancha) to bake tortillas, a regional staple.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-001679#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Successful adoption of improved cookstoves (with rates between 69% and 100% in six identified programmes) is driven by user-centered design, prior installation training, community involvement, cost-sharing, and available after-sale services.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-001679#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The region lacks comprehensive longitudinal data on cookstove adoption and field performance. Only 5 of the 34 reviewed stoves (approximately 15%) were certified by a third party, with most data relying on self-reporting by project implementers.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-001679#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":["household air pollution","bioenergy","indoor air quality","biogas","energy transition"],"geography_discussed":["Guatemala","Honduras","Nicaragua","El Salvador","Mexico","Kenya"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["literature review","desk study","policy analysis"]},{"id":"cdkn-000202","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/cdkn-000202","title":"Climate change vulnerability and adaptation preparedness in Southern Africa","publisher":{"name":"Climate and Development Knowledge Network","organization":"climate-and-development-knowledge-network"},"document_type":"report","language":"en","date_published":"2012-02-02","source_url":"https://cdkn.org/resource/climate-change-vulnerability-and-adaptation-preparedness-in-southern-africa","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The report assesses climate change adaptation preparedness in southern Africa to support requests for finance and fund administration. Focusing on Zimbabwe, it finds that the country lacks a specific climate change policy, relying instead on fragmented sectoral policies across environment, water, agriculture, and disaster management, highlighting a need for mainstreaming and harmonisation.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cdkn-000202#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"Zimbabwe lacks a dedicated policy for responding to climate change, with current efforts being fragmented across various sectoral policies such as those for agriculture, food security, water resources, disaster management, and environment and natural resources management.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cdkn-000202#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"There is a requirement to harmonise existing fragmented legislation and strategies and to integrate climate change adaptation into the work programmes and policies of different government ministries.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cdkn-000202#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":["climate change adaptation","climate finance","environmental policy","water management","emergency management"],"geography_discussed":["Zimbabwe"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["desk study","policy evaluation"]},{"id":"sei-001693","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/sei-001693","title":"Improved Cookstoves in Central America: Health Impacts and Uptake","publisher":{"name":"Stockholm Environment Institute","organization":"stockholm-environment-institute"},"document_type":"report","language":"en","date_published":null,"source_url":"https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-desk-study-2015-cookstoves-central-america.pdf","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The report examines the impact of improved cookstoves in Central America, noting that while many stoves reduce emissions, they often fail to meet WHO air quality guidelines for personal exposure. It identifies user-centered design, training, and financing as critical for adoption, while highlighting a lack of longitudinal data on sustained use.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-001693#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"Household air pollution (HAP) causes approximately 37,000 premature deaths annually in Central America, primarily affecting women and children.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-001693#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Self-reported data from 30 stove models indicate an average reduction of CO emissions by 59% and particulate matter (PM) by 95% compared to open fires, though only 16% of these stoves have third-party certification.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-001693#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Despite significant reductions in indoor air pollution, high-performance stoves like the plancha stove do not reduce particulate matter to levels that meet WHO guidelines, and reductions in personal exposure are often more modest than reductions in general indoor concentrations.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-001693#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Successful adoption of improved cookstoves in the region is driven by user-centered design, thorough training, community involvement, cost-sharing models, and the availability of after-sales services and spare parts.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-001693#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The cost of improved cookstoves in Central America is often prohibitively high for low-income households because they must include a “plancha” (griddle) for baking tortillas, a regional staple.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-001693#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"There is a significant gap in comprehensive, longitudinal studies regarding the sustained household adoption of improved cookstoves over time in Central America.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-001693#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":["household air pollution","bioenergy","indoor air quality","public health","energy transition","clean cooking"],"geography_discussed":["Guatemala","Honduras","Nicaragua","El Salvador","Kenya","Mexico"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["desk study","literature review"]},{"id":"sei-002478","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/sei-002478","title":"Protecting the environment: Why a gender perspective matters","publisher":{"name":"Stockholm Environment Institute","organization":"stockholm-environment-institute"},"document_type":"report","language":"en","date_published":null,"source_url":"https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-2015-Report-Segnestam-ProtectingTheEnvironmentWhyGenderMatters.pdf","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The report examines how social constructions of gender—rather than biological differences—create inequalities in the division of labour and access to resources, which in turn dictate how men and women interact with and are affected by the environment. Through case studies in Uganda, the Philippines, Indonesia, India, and South Africa, it demonstrates that women often face a 'double work burden' and higher vulnerability to environmental hazards, while men typically dominate large-scale, more environmentally damaging industrial activities. The document proposes an analytical framework focusing on formal and informal constraints to help organisations implement gender-sensitive programming.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002478#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"Gender is defined as a social construction rather than a biological trait, where masculine and feminine identities are developed through socialisation and vary across cultures and history.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002478#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The report proposes an analytical gender framework consisting of three categories: formal and informal constraints (rules and norms), the division of labour (expected tasks), and access to and control over resources.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002478#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"In Uganda, cultural norms often restrict women's access to land ownership and financial credit, which discourages them from investing in long-term sustainable agricultural practices like agroforestry.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002478#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"In the Philippines, women's empowerment through training in organic farming and the formation of cooperatives has reduced the use of agrochemicals and improved food sovereignty in Davao.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002478#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The expansion of oil palm plantations in Indonesia has disproportionately affected women by increasing their workload, exposing them to hazardous chemicals in nurseries, and restricting their land ownership rights.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002478#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"In Mumbai, India, women fish vendors are often excluded from formal credit systems and cooperatives due to illiteracy and domestic burdens, leaving them vulnerable to market fluctuations and pollution.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002478#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Climate change in South Africa increases the burden on women, who are primarily responsible for household energy and water collection, often relying on polluting biomass fuels due to a lack of financial resources.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002478#insight-7","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"In small-scale gold mining in the Philippines, women are often barred from mines due to superstitions or perceived danger, forcing them into precarious panning activities where they are exposed to toxic mercury.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002478#insight-8","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Across the studied cases, men are generally found to exert more pressure on the environment because they are more frequently involved in large-scale industrial activities.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002478#insight-9","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":["sustainable agriculture","organic agriculture","deforestation","climate change","renewable energy","bioenergy","biodiversity","food security","land tenure"],"geography_discussed":["Uganda","Philippines","Indonesia","India","South Africa","Mumbai","Davao City","Brazil"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["case study","desk study","gender analysis"]}]}